SILENCE
More than 50,000 people stood beneath the open sky, their necks craned upward, their mouths shut in awe.
The center of their attention hovered gracefully several dozen feet above a woman dressed in regal robes lined with gold thread, her long silver hair cascading like a waterfall.
Lady Stacy Fredrick.
She wasn't merely the daughter of Duke Fredrick, nor merely the youngest Grandmaster in the Western Continent. Her presence stilled the crowd, not just with status, but with a beauty so severe it seemed to mock the natural order.
It wasn't just men who fell into silence.
The women in the crowd, without a word passed among them, all found themselves glancing at their chests, letting out a collective, melancholic sigh.
A few cast resentful glances at their husbands or boyfriends.
One woman within the crowd, gritting her teeth, muttered, "Vixen," under her breath.
"Hello??? I know this is an exam but you shouldn't go around oppressing us with those gigantic watermelons… Ayo! Even my husband now looks at me differently," one woman thought bitterly, glaring at her husband who was clearly enthralled.
Among the thousands stood Russell, arms crossed, expression half-amused, half-troubled.
"This is just too much to bear… how I wish I were blind right now."
"..." Replied Davi.
Beside him, Davi stood silently, his eyes blank as always.
Russell exhaled heavily and whispered, "It's a blessing you cannot witness this, Davi. I cannot say if you'd remain the same."
Davi didn't respond.
"All she did is raise my standards," Russell went on. "Will I even find a good wife at this rate?"
Davi finally turned toward him, eyebrows raised in mild disgust. "What in the name of the gods is wrong with you?"
"Hehe… Brother, what I see while sitting, even if you climb the tallest peak, you will not comprehend. A pity indeed."
Davi sighed inwardly and faced forward again.
Russell is hopeless.
"What is with this gloomy aura around the ladies?" he wondered to himself.
Just then, Lady Stacy's voice boomed across the rowdy crowd, amplified by a spell.
"The Mage Ascension Exam," she began, her tone sharp and authoritative, "is usually taken towards the end of each year. However, this year... circumstances have changed."
The crowd leaned forward.
Something in her voice promised gravity.
"Due to urgent complications at the national and continental level, the Exam has been moved forward. Moreover, its difficulty... has been increased"
A murmur began to rise in the crowd, but it was quickly silenced again by the magic in her voice.
"Our world is at the brink of war," she said plainly.
"A large rift has torn through the Crimson Line. Monsters sealed ages ago, now stalk our lands again".
"Currently this exam is currently held around the world although the rumor a treasure in this kingdom played a huge role why this exam is holding here and not at the empire"
Gasps rippled through the crowd.
Russell's expression twisted into shock. "War!? Already?"
Davi felt something tighten in his chest.
He couldn't see the crowd, but he felt the sudden rise in fear, tension, and uncertainty.
"Why now...? I am still blind… By the way didn't i just transmigrate? Give me a break already!" he muttered.
Lady Stacy continued. "Our continent needs mages. Not tomorrow. Not a year from now but Now!!!"
She paused, eyes scanning the crowd as though she could peer into each soul.
"This year's exam will not only determine your admission into one of the top academies, it will determine whether you are worthy of survival in the age to come."
There was no pretense in her voice.
No honeyed words.
Only truth.
Then, without warning, the skies shifted.
A ripple moved through the air like shattered glass reforming.
From nothing, a presence emerged.
A man.
He looked utterly plain.
Grey robes. Short, nondescript black hair. No weapon. No aura of menace… Just nothing.
But the moment he appeared, every Grandmaster in the area stood at attention… Old man frank wasn't an exception.
Even Lady Stacy bowed her head.
"Magic Archon Alzareth," she said, her voice lower, filled with deference.
Alzareth.
The name alone held weight.
He walked forward slowly, steps soundless.
He glanced across the crowd. Despite his lack of presence, Davi felt his skin prickle as though cold water was poured on him.
"This man isn't normal… I know I cannot see him but from what I feel if I was at my peak back in the saint sage world this man probably may be my equal or even higher than me…"
"Just what world did I transmigrate to?" Davi thought to himself.
Russell actually gulped.
"Why do I feel like I'm being dissected?" he whispered.
Then the Archon spoke.
"Thousands will take this exam," he said.
His voice wasn't loud, but it pierced through minds, resonating like it came from inside your own skull.
"Hundreds will pass. Many will fail. And some... will die."
No one moved.
"You stand here for power or for fame or for duty. But before all that, you stand here because the age of peace is dying."
He lifted his gaze.
"For the first time in five centuries, the Devil's Lair will open. What lies beyond it... will remain unsaid. You do not need to know... Not yet."
Silence again.
"Those who are weak of mind, heart, or will, leave now! You will not be mocked. But if you stay, you must understand: this exam is not a game. It is not fair. It is not kind. And it will not wait for you."
Davi felt his heart beating faster.
Russell had stopped joking entirely.
No one left.
The Archon nodded once. "Then let it begin."
From the sky, five massive projection runes burst to life, showing glowing emblems of each academy.
***
The Five Great Magic Academies:
Craynwood Institute (South Continent)
Specialty: War Strategy
Located on the edge of the volcano city of Igna Crater.
Glacien Hollow Academy (North Continent)
Specialty: Healing Magic
Hidden within frozen canyons surrounded by unmelting snow.
Azure Claw Sanctum (East Continent)
Specialty: Magical Beast Taming
A colossal temple built on a floating island above the sea mists.
Aetherveil Spire (Central Continent)
Specialty: Magic Formation
Located at the Srathforge Mountains, under the liege of Srathforge Empire.
Obsidian Thorn Academy (Western Continent)
Specialty: Blacksmithing & Weapon Forging
Hidden within the Black Mist Forest.
***
Lady Stacy pointed to the massive forest in the far distance, a place that shimmered with unnatural stillness.
"The Ashwood Forest," she said. "That is where your examination begins. Your survival begins there."
"As you have seen, these academies has different specialties they are known for… however it does not mean that it is lacking in other specialties"
The crowd stirred.
"Be warned: Ashwood looks harmless. It is not. The beasts within have been noticed the aura of the Archon hence the are scared but not all. Some are older than nations."
And with that, she nodded toward a man waiting at the edge of the podium.
His robes were black and green, with a thick belt of beast fangs. Scars trailed down one side of his cheek.
"Grandmaster Halvar of Azure Claw Sanctum will oversee the first trial."
Halvar stepped forward, arms crossed.
"Welcome to your first test: Beast Compatibility. Those with affinity for creature summoning, bond forging, or elemental empathy may find success. Others may not."
Russell groaned. "I swear, if this test asks me to pet a manticore, I'm running back asap!"
Davi remained quiet.
But inside, the Asura System flickered faintly although he didn't notice this.
[Ding!]
[Pet Store: Unlocked!]
Davi did not know notice this.
The hunger in his soul stirred…
One question remained: Can the blind surpass this?